The supernatural in "Macbeth"

The use of the supernatural is very evident in the play "Macbeth" by William Shakespeare. As
readers, we are introduced to the world of the supernatural (which was widely believed to exist in
Shakespeare's time) in a number of ways. The witches show Macbeth his fate and awaken his
ambition, which leads to his ultimate demise. They act like dark thoughts and temptations in the play,
which in turn stems from their supernatural powers, to morally confuse and provide the impetus
characters for Macbeth. As a result, they indirectly lead him to his hallucinations of the dagger and
Banquo's ghost, which serve as reminders of his treason. A direct link between the world of the
universe and Macbeth's deceitful actions is also established, nature is unnaturally disrupted by
Macbeth's regicide of Duncan and his other offences. Lady Macbeth also calls on supernatural spirits
to "unsex" her, which are described in the most terrifying terms.

The three witches are the most prominent voices of unnaturalness in "Macbeth". The description of
the "weird sisters" in the first scene of the play gives an indication of the mischief which will eventuate
throughout the course of the play. The image that we are given of the witches is an odd one; Banquo
portrays them as "withered" and "wild in their attire" and also comments on their "beards".
Shakespeare has them speak in short rhyming verse, which differentiates from the other main
characters in the play who mostly speak in blank verse. The witches' language imitates the casting of
a spell, which conveys an impression of the supernatural in their speech. They may be viewed as
instruments of malicious forces which seek to lead Macbeth away from goodness, tempting him to
choose to fulfill his ambitions by malevolent methods. The interpretations of the witches' prophecies
are made by Macbeth himself, he is responsible for his own damnation. Fate may be fixed, but how it
eventuates is a matter of chance of Macbeth's own choice.

The treatment of the supernatural is also discussed through the parallel between the extraordinary
confusion in the natural world and the unnatural human acts by Macbeth. The reversal of the
expected natural order is the consequence of the evil forces that Macbeth has unleashed in deciding
to fulfill the witches' prophecies by brutal means. These consequences are seen in his own character,
in society and in nature. Readers are told through the conversation between Ross and the Old Man,
that day has been substituted by night, while Duncan's "beauteous" horses have "turned wild in
nature" and are said to have "eat each other", and a falcon has been killed by an owl. Weather is also
a symbol of the link between the natural world and the developments between the characters in the
play. Stormy weather always occurs hand in hand with the appearances of the witches which
establish a gloomy atmosphere over the play. These terrible supernatural occurrences reflect the
enormity of Macbeth's crime.

The hallucinations that Macbeth experience serve as reminders of his growing evil and desire to be
king, as well as his guilt for the many deaths on his part. When Macbeth was on his way to commit
the regicide, he sees a vision of a dagger glittering in the midnight air, and then suddenly splashed
with blood. He calls it a "fatal vision" and speculates if it is a "dagger of the mind", a false creation,
"proceeding from the heat oppressed brain". The dagger also symbolizes the terrible path on which
Macbeth is about to begin. The dagger may not have been the only reason for Macbeth to murder
Duncan, but it reinforced his plan of action and how the supernatural deceived him into killing Duncan.

The appearance of Banquo's ghost is a reminder of Macbeth's guilt and fear of discovery, invisible to
others but a terrifying reality to Macbeth himself. This form of the supernatural is significant because it
is a turning point in Macbeth's reign as King. Macbeth's conscience is eating away at him, showing
him what he has done and forcing him to face it. He realises that there is no way of escaping his
troubled conscience but for extinguishing the lives of anyone who proves a threat to him, and this
results in the murder of Lady Macduff and her son.

Lady Macbeth's soliloquy prior to Duncan's death explores the nature of the supernatural and
particularly "evil spirits". Possessed of evil passion, she calls on spirits to "unsex me (her) here",
which is inhuman as though Lady Macbeth is controlled by a supernatural force which masters her
mind and soul. Later in the play, she also suffers from visions and sleep walking, and it is debateable
whether these are supernatural or not. As she sleepwalks, she imagines her hand "stained in blood"
which cannot be washed off.

The nature of the supernatural is presented on many levels, with the three witches being the most
predominant and significant form. The "weird sisters" dictated the outcome of the play through deceit.
Macbeth was presented with many situations where the witches hinted at possible outcomes, but they
never assured Macbeth with any surety throughout the play. These "unnatural beings" provided the
drive for Macbeth to commence on his course of terror. As a result of his actions, there are
disturbances in the natural law and order. This shows a direct connection between the happenings of
the human beings and the natural world. The hallucinations that Macbeth and to a lesser extent Lady
Macbeth are reminders of their guilt at having committed the crimes. Lady Macbeth also calls on
supernatural "evil spirits" to take away her femininity, so she could commit the murder herself.

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